This is the second time I've done this job and was pretty quick this time. I thought, this time, I would make a couple of notes for anyone doing their hg. I waited a bit before I posted this, to make sure it was good to go

so.....Minus the huge delay in between the removal of my heads to the time I put them back on, due to work, stupid stupid work. It took just over 4 hours to remove everything. It took me about five hours to get everything back on. The majority of my work time was cleaning stuff. I spent some additional time(not included in the 5 assembly hours) and sandblasted some stuff and ceramic coated it. Really there is no special tools required, just a small handful of different sockets (8-16.) a swivel socket would be handy but it can be done without one.
so a few things, not provided, that would be helpful.

A tarp to catch your droppings....the bolts I lost.

Bungee cord or rope or something, to hold stuff out of the way

Loctite, the high temp stuff and the serviceable stuff

I also recommend lubing up hose fittings so they're easier to remove next time. I used a can of dielectric that I had out for the electrical connections but I have used Vaseline in the past. works fine.

Hose clamps to replace any quick clamps you may have to remove

1000 grit sandpaper. to clean your block and the mating surfaces for the gaskets

Some of that flex conduit to go around your wires. that stuff rots away.

Extra gaskets and O-rings that are not in the kit. I replaced every single thing, but for sure it would be good to have O-rings for the water inlets. those 2 should be in the kit, but are not.

An assortment of little brushes (I found a little spiral brush that I use for cleaning my shell casings to be quite handy) and cleaners

And "just in case you are like me" A tap and die set. I have yet to remove and reinstall manifolds without at least pulling one set of threads out of the head. Both my water pump and driver-side manifold have a few three eights 16 bolts.
Don't get in a hurry. I did and I had to install, then remove, then reinstall the AC compressor, So I could get to the accelerator cable bracket bolts.

The most challenging part of the job, for me, was that stupid little bolt at the back of the driver side head that holds the wire harness. I think I dropped it nine times, and I eventually lost it and had to come up with something else. I didn't really take the time to label all my stuff when I took it off everything pretty much only fits in one spot, but that is good advice if you have the time to do it.
For anybody that is considering doing this job themselves and saving a couple of bucks. It's really just time consuming, nothing difficult, nothing technical, it is just a couple of gaskets.

Just a little info on my findings: my head gasket leak at the back of the passenger side head, was only there with the additional water pressure of my electric water pump. I assumed that I had some deterioration and it was bound to be a failure in no time. I took the time to torque off the bolts on that side. I found that both of the back bolts, top and bottom, were significantly less tight than the rest. In fact, the same was true for the other side that was not leaking. I broke both of those bolts loose with a little three eights socket and ratchet. as seen in photos, my original head gaskets looked brand-new. still had the raised red ridge.

And I use the arp studs and could not find a huge consensus on what torque method to take, so I kind of improvised with my own. I went 30, 50, 70, 80, 88. I used the same sequence as suggested. I waited 30 minutes between the 70 and 80, Went to bed, did the 88 the next morning. 88 is not a magical number.....high school football jersey. That made as much sense, to me, as trying to make an average of everyone else's suggestions. I saw some suggestions of 20 40 60 and I saw some suggestions of 30 60 80 and the instructions go all the way to 100 (that is prolly too much). so 88 sounds great, to me.

also, I sprayed that copper coat stuff, on my gaskets. never used it, before.

 

Great advice Dusty! On your third try you will probably cut off 2 more hours. Did you have your headers ceramic coated? And what else did you ceramic coat?

 

good right up, it's not nearly as hard as some of these 3-page writes makes it seem.
yes, did you do the exhaust manifold inside and out?

 

yes, and I coated all the metal coolant pipes, and the valve covers (figured it would be easier to find any new leaks)

 

thanks, yes in and out.

 

Good pointers Dusty!

It can be a very hard job for people that have never changed a head gasket before. Sometimes my wife has to remind me that repairs I consider low level basic stuff can be challenging to first timers. If all you have done on your truck is changed oil then changing head gaskets will seem like going to the moon.

I for one am a fan of long detailed write ups so I have a better idea of what I'm getting into. I think the very best advice to can give someone is, get the right tools for the job.
Don't tear into an engine with 2 screw drivers and a wal-mart socket set or the repair will seem like a nightmare.

 

and I really don't know the benefits. I suppose it should help with heat dissipation. but looks better.

 

It's threads like this that make us put up with all your goofy antics

 

Dusty's not goofy. Those two kittens are though...

 

Don't let Dusty fool you. He has a reason for that picture. The glasses represent his knowledge and able to see things clearly. The two kittens represent his twin girls. His shenanigans is just a cover for his pent up anger of getting sucked into the Rover World and not being able to get out. At least that is what Dr. Phil said...